


Beauty and the Tramp

by Frostbuny



Category: South Park
Genre: Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Karen is an angel, Kenny is a player, Kyle in Denial, M/M, i just want my sons to be happy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-19
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2018-08-23 07:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8319874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostbuny/pseuds/Frostbuny
Summary: Kenny was a tramp; he would have sex for the money he needed. Craig, the mysterious beauty straight out of high school, was supposed to be a quick fix. Kyle was not his forever, but he fell anyway.("Beauty and the Beast" meets "Lady and the Tramp". You're welcome.)





	1. The Beauty of the Tramp

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't decide between Craig and Kyle. So I chose both.
> 
> Oooooops....
> 
> Enjoy~!

    He released a sigh, and his warm breath created a white cloud in the air. He could still hear the music behind him, and he could smell the alcohol leaking from the house. There were no cars on the road - to his surprise. The street lamp cast an orange glow on the asphalt, stretching shadows as far as they could reach. 

    Kenny pulled out his pack of cigarettes from his pocket, searching the other for his lighter. He cursed under his breath when he could not find it. Cigarette in mouth, he used his free hands to search his front and back pockets. All he could find was some bills he took just in case, and he found a condom he may or may not have planned to use. He was about to give up and go back inside to mooch a lighter off someone else, but a figure appeared beside him before he got the chance to.

    “Need a light?” the nasally voice belonged to a rather tall male. He had black hair tucked beneath a hat, and his eyes were a soft hazel. He wore monochromatic colors; his whole aesthetic was devoid of life except the blue hat he wore. His skin was pale, and a lit cigarette dangled from his pink lips. In his thin fingers was the white lighter he was offering. Kenny could only stare. “Guess not.”

    “N-No! I do,” he quickly fumbled for his words, gingerly taking the lighter out of the stranger’s hand to light his cigarette. After a few flicks and a deep breath, his smoke was lit. He placed the lighter back in the other’s outstretched hand. “Thanks.”

    Neither spoke after that. They puffed their cigarettes into the dark night’s air, revelling in the silence. Kenny snuck glances out of the corner of his eyes. The male seemed young - his features sharp and smooth. It was too dark to make out details, but Kenny could tell he was older than the taller male.  _ Damn shame, too. _

    “You trying to escape this party, too?” Kenny tried to make a joke. The taller's lip twitched, but he received no other reaction to his question. With another puff, he kept speaking. “Too loud. Not really my scene.”

    “Would've never guessed,” his voice was sarcastic, and Kenny wanted to hear more of it.

    “Not to say I don't like getting wasted, but the host needed me sober,” Kenny said. Wendy wanted him to be here tonight to help her hook up with a certain Stan Marsh. She was obsessed with the kid, and she practically begged Kenny to help her get out of her dry spell. He had agreed to help, and managed to convince Stan to pull Wendy away from the party.

    Now Kenny was stuck outside without a clue as to what to do with his life. The house was full of teenagers fresh out of high school, and he really did not want to sleep with someone that immature. He was not picky over the people he had sex with, but he had morals. Kenny only slept with people his age or older - definitely never any virgins. Which was why the hottie puffing on a cancer stick right beside him was off limits;  _ damn. _

    “Wendy? I don't see her talking to guys like you,” the stranger commented, his hazel eyes looking Kenny over. He would be hurt by the comment, but he knew there was some truth in there. Kenny was wearing jeans with so many holes he might as well have came pantsless. His tank top was made of lace, and he wore a thin sweater on top. He liked to dress promiscuously - Kenny did not care what people thought of him. Call him a whore, and he would probably say  _ thank you _ .

    “We've known each other since we were kids. She's stuck with me,” Kenny said. He blew his last puff of the cigarette before dropping it on the concrete and crushing it with his boot. It was the most expensive thing he owned; the steel toed boots made walking around the streets a much simpler task. He had Wendy to thank for them, actually.  _ She's such a sweet kid _ . Kenny was grateful he was friends with her.

    The taller male shrugged, taking his time to finish his smoke. “Just ‘cause you've known someone a long time, doesn't mean you're stuck with them,” he said. Kenny had no reason to stay outside now that he finished smoking, but he was enthralled by the male. He was not only dangerously attractive, but he spoke with an easy nonchalance that made Kenny wonder who the boy was.

    “Sometimes you're stuck with the people you've only just met,” Kenny said. He buried his hands in his sweater’s pockets to retain some warmth. The noirette nodded in agreement before crushing his own cigarette with his shoe. The silence was thick between them, but neither made an effort to speak.  _ I should probably just go home. It's not like I'm going to sleep with this kid. _ Kenny mourned the loss of a good lay. “See you around, kid?”

    “Craig,” the taller male corrected, looking down on Kenny. This angle had the street light cast shadows on the stranger’s face; his sharp features became more intense.

    “Alright, Craig. I'm Kenny,” he decided to introduce himself as well. He gave the taller a suggestive smile before turning to walk away. “Hope I'll be seeing more of you.”

    He made the long walk back home; he cursed the cold weather. His body, barely clothed, was shivering and shaking when he entered his home. The rundown house barely kept any heat in, but at least he had a bed he could warm up in. He ignored the figure of his sleeping brother on the couch and entered his bedroom. Kenny took his time to untie his boots and remove his pants and tank top before crawling beneath the sheets. His bed was only a mattress that rested against the wall beside his window. His sheets were not the cleanest; nor was the house. Everything was filthy in the McCormick residence. He was still humble enough to be content with his raggedy bed and flat pillow.

    It was the first time all week he was sleeping in his own bed. He did not know why he was sentimental over the fact, but he felt a sudden yearning for his home life. Karen was in school and getting an education. Kenny found ways to pay for her lunch and school supplies. Even if it meant pimping out his body, Karen was going to live a comfortable life. He missed enjoying his time with his younger sister.

    When morning came, she was eager to wake him up. “Kenny! You're home!” Karen wrapped her arms around her older brother, and he groggily hugged her back. His eyes scanned her entire body. She was clean - for the most part. She had probably been staying the night at a friend's house. Her bones had meat on them, and her clothes seemed washed.  _ I hate leaving her alone that long.  _

__ “Yeah, Kare. I'm not going to disappear,” he said. She laughed a little, and pulled away from the hug. Her smile was sweet. Kenny was glad he could see that smile. “Have you been eating?”

    “Yes, sir! I stayed with Ruby all week,” she announced. Kenny chuckled as he got out of the bed. He popped all his bones before stretching all his muscles. Going a night without sex did wonders for his rest. He dragged his bare feet into the living room; his brother was already gone. Kenny figured he was at another job.

    “Don't you think you should put some clothes on? It's freezing,” she said. He glanced over at her attire one last time; she had on a sweater he never saw before, and her sweats seemed brand new. Whoever this Ruby girl was, she was an angel for giving Karen new things. Kenny glanced down at himself to see nothing but boxers.

    “I've gotten used to it,” he replied. Kenny guessed it was mostly the truth. He walked the streets everyday, and he was naked most of the night. He was not immune to the cold, but he could certainly deal with it.

    He entered their kitchen to search through their cupboards and fridge. There was barely any food.  _ Damnit. _ Kenny then remembered he had loose change in his clothes. Begrudgingly, he brought his stiff body back to his room to look through his jean’s pockets. It was a solid twenty seven dollars and thirteen cents. He could get Karen a decent breakfast with that.  _ I should do groceries _ . He racked his mind for the right way to go about this. He would hate to ask Wendy for help when she has already done so much for him. He could always ask Kyle.

_ Oh. _ Asking Kyle could lead to a lot of things he might not be proud to admit, but he was sure the redhead would not mind assisting the blonde.

    He found his phone charging beside his bed. It did not have service, but he could easily steal internet off of a public area; he had an online number he used. “Get dressed, Kare,” he said before searching his room for another outfit. The girl scurried off to her own room.

    Kenny settled with a blue sheer t-shirt over leggings.  _ Kyle loves when I look girly _ . The ginger had a complex: he refused to admit his sexuality. When Kenny offered him a good fuck, the male all but cursed him out. The blonde found a way around this, and he presented himself in front of Kyle dressed in his more feminine clothing. If Kyle could pretend Kenny was a girl, he was not really gay, right? Kenny felt bad for him.

    Karen eyed her brother when they left the house, but she kept her words to herself. Kenny was grateful; his sister was careful not to mention her brother's way of getting money. He put his arm over her shoulder as they walked to the closest place to eat. Tweek Bros. was open, and they had free Wi-Fi. Kenny saw this as the perfect place. Karen’s sweet face lit up as she realized where they were going. He would have ruffled her hair out of affection, but she had the dirty blonde locks pulled into a ponytail. Even pulled up like that, the hair still reached the middle of her shoulders. Kenny made sure to buy products to keep her hair healthy; he loved witnessing her turn into a beautiful young lady. It was expensive, but he thought it was worth it if it made his sister happy.

    Upon entering the coffee shop, Karen leapt into one of the stools at the front counter. A twitchy blonde stepped out of the back and grinned at her. “Karen!” he said her name with an easy familiarity. Kenny sat beside her, scooting his stool a bit closer.  _ Why does this man know my sister? _

    “Tweek, hi!” she said. She giggled as the twitchy male stumbled over to hug her across the counter. “Where's your boyfriend?”

    “At home. He's got a hangover,” he rushed his words. Kenny did not like the situation one bit.

    “Who's this, Kare?” Kenny brought his sister's attention back to him. Her eyebrows lifted as she realized her mistake.

    “Ruby and I came here a few times. Tweek is dating her brother,” she explained. Tweek nodded in agreement, placing a coffee cake in front of Karen. She squealed before picking away at it.

    Kenny began to pull out his money, but Tweek shook his head. “It's fine. Agh! On the house,” he said. It seemed he had a hard time speaking long sentences, and Kenny was very interested in why he acted that way. Tweek’s eye twitched, and his hands shook a considerable amount. Regardless, he was set on making them coffee. 

    Kenny took this moment to pull out his phone, connect to the internet, and open his calling app. He kissed his sister's forehead before exiting the establishment. He stood to the side of the doors and leaned against the stone wall. He turned his attention back to his phone. His eyes found Kyle's contact quickly, and he pressed the call button. In a couple of rings, the other picked up. “What do you want?”

    The blonde laughed at the rude greeting. “We both know what I want. Don't make me beg, Kyle,” he purred into the phone, hearing a snort on the other side.

    “Yeah, well. Go find another dick to suck. And lose my number,” the ginger was all for his insults today, it seemed. Kenny was not sure what the problem was.

    “Honestly? I'm kinda tight on cash right now. And you're my favorite go-to guy. So, help a bro out?” Kenny pulled all his stops. There was a pause on the other side before the ginger sighed. Kenny looked around him, taking in his surroundings. This road was usually busy, but he figured it was too early in the morning for normal people to be functioning. He briefly wondered why Kyle was awake.

    “Is this for Karen?” his voice was soft. Kenny burrowed his brows, letting those words sink in. Everything Kenny did was for Karen; he shared this detail with Kyle after one of their nights together. The ginger changed the way he treated Kenny after being told the fact - their entire relationship dynamic changed.

    “Yeah,” he breathed. His breath formed another cloud of vapor, and he remembered last night instantly.  _ If that guy was older, I would have fucked him. I would have fucked him, and Karen would be home alone without any food. God, what's wrong with me? _

    “I'll meet you at our usual place,” Kyle said. The ginger hung up directly after, and Kenny put his phone in his pocket. He ran his hand over his face, a weight suddenly pressing him down.  _ I'm the worst brother ever. _ When he removed his hand from his face, hazel eyes met his blue irises.

    It took a minute, but he recognized the tall figure as the boy from last night. In broad sunlight, Kenny could make out so many more features. He had dark brown hair, not black. His skin was nearly see through, and Kenny could see the veins beneath his eyes. He had piercings along his right ear and one on his nose. Everything screamed danger, but Kenny was far too entranced by his natural beauty.

    “Greg, right?”

    “Craig. Do I know you?” the taller male asked. He sounded like he could care less, and Kenny missed the sarcastic tone his nasally voice could take.

    “Not really. We just shared a smoke last night,” Kenny ran his fingers through his hair before opening the glass door - that could use a good cleaning - to let the taller in. Craig watched the actions with dull eyes.

    He stepped past the blonde and entered the coffee shop. “Don't remember,” was his only reply.  _ Liar. _ Kenny made quick steps back to Karen, sitting beside her once more. The dark brunette bypassed the counter and stepped into the backroom. Kenny silently wondered why a customer was allowed back there. He did not ponder when his eyes caught sight of the cup of coffee waiting for him. He took a large gulp of the drink, and hummed in delight.

    “It's good, right? Tweek's coffee is the best,” Karen said. Kenny could not agree more. Though the building itself was not the greatest - it needed a good sweep and wipe down - the drink itself was heavenly. They got away with a dirty restaurant by serving amazing products. Kenny could relate.

    A few moments later, Tweek and Craig stepped out of the backroom. The twitchy blonde seemed to have relaxed, and his hands no longer vibrated. Craig had his arm around Tweek's waist, even though the blonde told him to, “ _ Let me go, man. _ ”

    Then Kenny realized what they were to each other. With a frown, he continued to drink his coffee. It was hard to be upset with the twitchy kid when he made such a damn good cup of coffee. “What's wrong?” Karen asked, her gentle blue eyes assessing her brother's expression. Kenny shrugged, wondering when he should meet up with Kyle. The ginger would surely show up after his work day. That'd be around seven. Which left Kenny with thirteen hours to entertain himself.  _ What does a guy have to do to get laid these days _ . 

    “Nothing, Kare. Just thinking about things,” he answered her. She was skeptical, but turned in her stool to finish her coffee. When Kenny lifted his gaze, he witnessed Craig trying to convince Tweek to do things that were highly inappropriate to do in front of a young lady.  _ And fucking killing me. Why'd I make that age rule, again? _ He groaned before hopping off his stool. “Hurry up. I want to stop by Wendy's for a minute.”

    His little sister nodded. She chugged down the rest of her drink, and told Tweek to have a good day. He wrestled away from Craig long enough to wave goodbye at her. Said brunette was watching Kenny with dull eyes. The blonde assumed it was the only expression he could make. Karen stepped beside Kenny, and he put his arm over her shoulders again as they exited the building. The cold air nipped at his ears and nose. He should have wore a sweater.  _ You better fuck me good, Kyle. I'm suffering for you. _

    They wandered down the sidewalk, the streets beginning to show life. People were rushing to work or having a morning jog. Karen was humming a song he could barely remember. Everything seemed so peaceful.  _ The calm before the storm. _ “So, you know those two?”

    Karen nodded. “Craig is Ruby's older brother. I used to think he was cute until I found out he was dating Tweek,” she informed him. Kenny rolled his eyes.

    “You're too young to be looking at boys,” he warned her.

    “I'm sixteen, Kenny. Get out.”

    Kenny stopped walking. He turned on his heel to really look at his sister. She was only half a foot shorter than him, and her baby fat was already vanishing. “Since fucking when?” Kenny was in shock. Karen seemed mildly offended.

    “About three months after you turned twenty two, Ken.”

    “Whatever. He's still too old for you.”

    “He's eighteen, actually. That's a two year difference.”

_ He's fucking eighteen? That's way younger than I thought. Does that make me a pervert? Oh fuck. _ Kenny was done with the day. He put his arm back over his sister's shoulders and continued their walk down the cracked sidewalk. “Stop looking at boys,” were his final words. The pink morning sky was turning blue, and the sun began to warm his bones.

    He prayed Wendy could save the day. If she could not lift the mood, he would lose all hope for the day. Not even fucking Kyle would satisfy him.  _ Why the hell am I so irritable today?  _ Kenny sighed and let his blue eyes look around the street.

_ The calm before the storm. _


	2. The Beauty isn't a Tramp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Whatever shifted in their relationship made his heart flutter and his veins burn. Kenny knew that pretending was dangerous, but the fuzziness making his skin tingle was too addicting. Kyle was giving him horrible hope, and Kenny was scared of what the consequences were for believing in it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So. There's no excuse XD I dunno if anyone still cares about this story. But if you do, or if your new, here's the next chapter~~
> 
> Also. I was thinking of making a tumblr for all my stories. Please tell me if you'd be interested in that XD

    Kenny was sweaty, and his muscles were tired. It was well into the night, the room bathed in darkness. A few streams of white light spilled into the room from the glass doors to the balcony. The soft light made Kyle’s features angelic; his red hair glowed against the cream pillow, his pale skin shining. Kenny thought he was beautiful, but he could never tell the male that.

    The blonde released a sigh of contentment as he shifted closer to the man he just had sex with. The warmth was intense, but Kenny did not mind. The precious moments like this - where he could pretend that there was something more - were irreplaceable. The ginger’s fingers traced along Kenny’s arm, creating goosebumps in their wake. His green eyes were reflecting the light, and Kenny really thought he was in bed with a majestic creature.

    With no warning, Kyle dropped his arm and turned to lay on his back. The spell was broken, and Kenny could no longer pretend. The blonde slid out of the bed and searched for the ginger’s jacket. He pulled his cigarettes and lighter out; he brought his own, but he got satisfaction out of using the other’s. He shuffled his feet over to the glass doors, and stepped out onto the balcony. The cool night air nipped away at his bare skin. It was a warmer night than usual, but it was still freezing. He cursed at himself for not putting on clothes first.

    Footsteps approached behind him, and Kyle leaned on the railing beside the blonde. He was covered in the quilt from the bed, but Kenny could tell he was naked beneath the sheet.  _ He’s catching my bad habits _ . There was no fear of anyone seeing them. They were on the fourth floor of an expensive hotel Kyle always checked them into. It could be considered their second home with how many times they had been in this very room.

    The ginger extended the blanket out the the blonde, and he happily obliged. Kenny put an arm over Kyle’s shoulders - he was good few inches shorter than Kenny that made this possible - and continued to puff on his cigarette.  _ Guess I can pretend for a little longer _ . His worries from earlier that day seemed very far. When Kenny was with the ginger, everything seemed okay. “Can I meet her?” Kyle broke the silence.

    “Who? Karen?” Kenny asked. The ginger nodded, a soft blush warming his cheeks.  _ How does he not realize how beautiful he is? _ The blonde shrugged, pulling Kyle a little closer - he let him. Kenny put out his cigarette on the railing before letting the stump fall to the ground beneath them. “Why?”

    “I guess- It’s just that we always do this. We meet up, we fuck, I give you money to help her. I wanna meet her. Wanna know who it is I’m helping,” he spilled the words, expressing his thoughts. His cheeks, impossibly, were an even deeper shade of pink. Kenny was infatuated with the sight. He dipped his head down and captured the ginger’s lips in his own.

    When they did nothing but fuck for who-knows-how-long, Kenny would think Kyle was sexed out. However, he easily put his hand on Kenny’s shoulder and stood on his tippy-toes to kiss him back. It was not a sexual kiss, nor was it passionate. It was a sweet exchange that the blonde felt he never shared with Kyle before. When the ginger pulled away and stopped standing on his toes, Kenny chased the warm feeling and continued to peck at his lips. Kyle started to laugh quietly, and he turned his head away from the blonde.  _ Fuck, that did something to my heart. _

    Whatever had just happened left Kenny in a daze. His blue eyes wandered over the ginger’s face a million times, searching for an answer he did not know the question to. “I would love you to meet her. But,” he started, “don’t tell her what we are, or how we know each other.”

    “I’m not an idiot, Kenny. I won’t tell her,” the ginger sighed, leaning back into the blonde’s side. The blanket began to slip, and Kenny pulled it back up snug against them. 

    Something shifted in their relationship, and the blonde needed to figure it out. He used to pretend for only the few minutes after they had sex. They never stayed this close for this long; Kenny was weary. The duo fell back into a comfortable silence as they observed the world around them. With hesitance, they both went back inside to sleep. Kenny woke up alone.

    With a heavy heart, he rolled out of bed. He took a warm shower before changing into the spare change of clothes he brought. Beside the hotel key card was a note Kyle left for him. 

_ I’m not busy tomorrow. Call me with a time so I can meet her. _

_ ~K _

    Kenny found that to be extremely endearing, and he folded the note up and tucked it into his pocket. With his head held high, he exited the hotel. The sun was high in the sky, and the frozen air was warmed by the sunlight. He dragged his feet to Wendy’s front door, and knocked gingerly. She opened it with a large grin. “You’re early!” she said, pulling the male inside. He shoved his hands into his pockets and wandered into her home. Karen was under a pile of blankets on the couch, watching TV like she had no cares in the world.

    Kenny sat beside her, ruffling her hair. He asked Wendy to watch her for the night; the woman was happy to do so. She adored Karen. This was not the first time she watched over Kenny’s little sister. “Did ya have fun, Kare?” he asked her. She nodded, her sweet smile tugging at her cheeks. “I’m going to go do food shopping. Would you mind keeping her here a little longer?”

    “Yeah, it’s fine. She can stay however long she wants to,” Wendy sat on the other side of the teenager. 

    “Good. I’ll come back in a bit,” he kissed Karen on the side of her head before leaving the house. He was once more grateful for the boots the woman gave him; walking to the grocery store would be a hassle otherwise.

    Kenny recalled their conversation from the day before. She managed to sleep with Stan that night, but they had not talked about their relationship past that. Kenny found that weird; Stan had no reason to hold back from being with Wendy. She was a working woman who was renting out a house until she was able to buy it off the owners. Kenny would kill to be in a relationship with someone like that, but he figured not everyone was in the same position as himself.

    The grocery store loomed into view, and Kenny happily entered. The warm air made him breathe in deep, warming his nose. He picked up a cart and gleefully strolled through the aisles. He tossed cereal, cans of spaghetti, and beverages into the cart. He wanted easy, quick snacks and meals his sister could enjoy. It was cheap, but he was not looking for Grade A products. He hummed as he picked up a small box of strawberries; he'll spoil her a little.

    He pushed the cart to the register, putting boxes and cold items first. He saved the bread for last. He reached in his pocket to pull out his money that Kyle gave him. A familiar nasally voice told him the cost of the food. His eyes shot upward to meet hazel irises. Craig's hair was messy without his hat. He wore a simple black shirt over blue jeans, and an unsightly green store apron hid his figure.  _ Even dressed awful, he's gorgeous.  _

__ “Thought I'd be seeing you again,” Kenny said, a smile tugging his lips as he handed over the money. Craig took it carefully, a quizzical expression on his face.

    “I don't know you,” he said, putting the money in the register and printing the receipt.

    “You don't know me. But you've seen me,” Kenny replied, taking his receipt. “I’d even bet money that you had your eye on me before we met that night.” He picked up all his bags and hooked them onto his arms. Kenny raised his blue eyes to look at the boy. His eyes were narrowed, a tint to his cheeks. Kenny opened his mouth to question him, but Craig had already began to cash out the next customer. With a shake of his head, Kenny left the store.

    The walk home was the worst part of doing food shopping. It was long, and the heavy bags dug into his arms. He dragged his feet into the house and began putting the groceries away. He smiled when he put the strawberries in the refrigerator. With the last of the groceries put away, Kenny relaxed onto his couch, letting his tired legs rest. 

    The silence of the house creeped into his bones, and his mind began to wander. There was piles of clothes littering the floor, and trash around the couch. The couch was, in some way, completely his brother’s. It was where his brother slept, lived, and existed when he was home. There was a damp scent to the house from the leaks in the ceiling, and the rugs were stained here and there.

    It was the home of a poor family. Kenny tried his hardest to keep the house clean, but his siblings made it beyond impossible. Most of the filth accumulated when his parents still lived in the home with him. That was before his father was sent to prison with drug charges and his mother ran away with another man. It has only been a few years since they were left on their own, but it felt longer than that. No one bothered to enter their parent’s room, nor did they clean the clothes their mother left behind. It was almost as if they were holding onto the memory of their parents; even though they were the worst kind of people, family is family. Kenny could never hate them.

    It was times like these, when the room was silent and Kenny allowed himself to think, that he remembers how dangerous it is for him to pretend. He recalls the night before - holding Kyle in his arms as they gazed out at the world. It was warm and cozy, and Kyle’s laugh made his skin tingle. Kenny could never have that. Pretending - imagining it was real, even if only for a moment - was dangerous for him. It gave him false feelings of hope. He and Kyle could never be more than what they currently were - a quick fix and borderline prostitution. 

_ And he wants to meet Karen. _ Kenny is skeptical about having the man meet his sister. It was almost as if he was showing her a life that he never wants her to be near. She was not stupid, he knew that she was somewhat aware of how he gets their money. He still hoped he could keep her blind and oblivious to the details. She would never look at him the same way if he put a face to his “job”.

    With a groan, Kenny started his walk to Wendy’s. The cold began to nip at him again, and he cursed himself for forgetting his sweater again. He fingers stung when he knocked on the door. Stan opened the door and narrowed his eyes at him. Wendy pushed Stan out the way with a stern expression. “Hey Kenny. Karen just got out the shower. She should be out in a second,” Wendy greeted him. Kenny nodded as he tried to figure out what caused the boy to give him such a rude look. 

   Karen came rushing out a few minutes later, a new backpack sitting comfortably on her shoulders.  _ Wendy must have gave her new clothes again _ . Kenny could never be more grateful to the girl. No one took care of him and his sister as well as Wendy did. He gave her a tight squeeze and a kiss on the cheek; Wendy giggled as she pushed him away. “Thanks for watching her,” Kenny took a few steps back to wrap his arm around Karen’s shoulder.

    “You’re practically family, Ken. It’s nothing. Bring her whenever you want,” she answered, waving the two goodbye. Karen waved back as they made their departure. They walked home in silence, appreciating one another’s warmth. 

    Kenny decided to break the silence. “So...I have this friend. He kind of means a lot to me, and I talk about you a lot to him. And- uh- he told me. That. He wants to meet you,” Kenny stumbled through his words. He was really nervous about mentioning it at all. He was putting so much at stake by asking this of his sister. “Would you- uhm- want that?”

    Karen wiggled her nose before puffing out her cheeks. “You don’t sound like you want me to. I’ve never met any of your friends before,” she said.  _ Because I don’t have any. They  _ aren’t _ friends. _ Kenny took in a deep breath before stopping midstep.

    “Alright. He isn’t my... _ friend _ . I guess you could call him my- uh- he’s my, ya’know. Boyfriend,” Kenny spat the words out. His face lit with flames as he acknowledged the words he just said.  _ Oh god, I just called Kyle Broflovski my boyfriend. He’s never going to fucking talk to me again. _

    Karen’s eyes glittered with the information. “Well then of  _ course _ I want to meet him!” She started to hop around in place, her cheeks pink with excitement. Kenny tried to reflect her excitement, but he felt sick to his stomach. He made the worst mistake of his life.

    The next morning, he made sure to wake up before his sister and sneak off to Tweek Bros. He mooched off their free wifi to call Kyle. He picked up after the first ring.  _ Why is he always up this early? _ “Uh- hey,” Kenny said. It felt lame even to himself.

    “‘mornin. Why are you calling this early?” his words sounded slow.  _ Maybe he’s tired. _

    “It’s about what we talked about. You meeting Kare? It’s alright if you’re busy-”

    “No! I’m not. I told you I’m not. What time are you thinking?”

    Kenny was hit with the realization that this was actually happening. He was having a conversation with Kyle without mentioning or alluding to sex. “Ah-, uhm,” he was so nervous he could throw up. “She wakes up around ten-ish. So we could get lunch. Oh, never mind. I don’t think I can afford-”

    “Kenny, stop. I’m the one that suggested it. Let me treat you guys. It’s fine. Meet me at the restaurant across the street from the hotel we stay in,” his sentence was punctuated by a long yawn.  _ Did he not get any sleep? _ “Dress nice, asshole.”

    The line went dead, and Kenny was left in shock. It was an exchange the two never shared before. Whatever shifted in their relationship made his heart flutter and his veins burn. Kenny knew that pretending was dangerous, but the fuzziness making his skin tingle was too addicting. Kyle was giving him horrible hope, and Kenny was scared of what the consequences were for believing in it. 

    “Are you stalking me?” a nasally voice filled his ears, and Kenny look up to meet hazel eyes. Craig was not wearing his hat today, and his dark hair was an absolute mess. His legs were hugged by skinny jeans, and his frame was hidden by a baggy sweater. Kenny felt like a bad person for letting his eyes wander.

    He shook his head. “Nope. Must be fate,” he waved the boy goodbye as he walked away; it was a complete coincidence his hips swayed more than normal as he departed. 

    He spent the rest of the morning digging through his clothes for the right outfit; Karen awoke and assisted him after picking out her own outfit. She was wearing a stunning pink dress with her hair cascading down her shoulders. Kenny was blessed with such a cute little sister. 

    Karen finally helped him choose the right outfit to wear. It was basic, plain pants and a button up, but being eccentric was not the way of rich people. Karen looped her arm through his, and they laughed on their way there. Kenny could tell she was trying to take his nerves away, but he still felt like the world was close to ending.

    Once they reached the entrance, Kenny really started to feel the pressure. “Kare, maybe we should wait for another day-” a throat being cleared behind them interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see Kyle dressed in attire quite like his own; his wild curls were irridescent in the sunlight. Kenny only ever saw him at night. His heart started to pound in his ears. There was no way out of it now. “Oh, okay. You’re here. Come here a sec.”

    Kenny pulled the man a little ways away from his sister. “What?” he snapped, pulling his arm out of the blonde’s grip.  _ Wow. That hurt a bit. _

    “Uh. So. Don’t get mad,” Kenny ran his fingers through his hair, “but. I told Karen. You. Are. Ya’know. My boyfriend.” Kyle’s face twisted as the words settled. 

    “You...you told her…” he stumbled back a step. His hand curled into a fist. Kenny could see all the signs of aggravation clear as day on the ginger’s body. Kenny thought of every possible outcome from this, and none of them were positive. He was going to lose Kyle. This was it. He fucked up. The dangerous pretending he had done lead up to this. He let poisonous words slip from his mouth. 

    A soft hand touched his elbow. “Is everything alright?” Karen looked up at him with concern in her eyes. The world felt like a blur to Kenny, all of a sudden. He could hear his breathing, and his senses were muted. The blood in his veins, burning before, were now ice. He felt unsteady on his legs, but he was sure he was standing up straight. His heart picked up speed, but not in the good way that Kyle made him feel. This time it  _ hurt _ , and the sounds of people talking and cars driving by was  _ too loud _ .

    “Kenny?” He felt a hand touch his arm, but his vision was too blurred to really see who it was.  _ Oh God I'm going to throw up _ . Cold sweat gathered on his temples.  _ Is this what dying feels like? _ Hands cupped his face, and he felt gentle thumbs stroke his cheeks. “Hey. Listen to me. I need you to breathe in for four seconds. Alright? And then hold it. Can you do that? In for four. Alright. Hold.  _ … Six, seven. _ Okay, now breathe out. … _ Six, seven, eight. _ Do it again.”

    Kenny listened to the advice, matching his breathing to the quiet counting. He was sure after the second time that it was Kyle guiding him. He lifted a shaky hand to cover Kyle's on his cheek, and he laced their fingers together. His senses were returning; everything felt like a low hum. He could breathe again. Orange curls, fire in the sunlight, came into focus. Worried green eyes stared at his face, a pink lip sucked beneath teeth in concentration.  _ Kyle helped me. _

    “I didn't know you got panic attacks,” Kyle mumbled, his brows pulled tight together. He quickly pulled his hands away from Kenny's face, stepping back to add distance between them.

    “I- I didn't either. That was… That was the first,” he spoke in an equally mumbled, equally distant voice. The shift between them was sleepy creeping back to where it once was; pretending was over. Reality reclaimed them. “I'm sor-”

    “Don't apologize. We came here. So I could meet Karen. Right? So. Let's do that,” his voice was clipped, sharp where it wasn't before. Kenny was too weak to argue, too wore out to say much of anything. The shaking in his hands wasn't gone, and the unsteadiness in his legs was still prevalent. He was scared to take a step. Karen's warm hand on his arm was his anchor. She was holding right enough for her nails to dig into his skin. She was worried, but he didn't know what to do to remedy the situation. He fucked up.

    “If- if you don't want to-”

    “I want to. We're here already. Stop being difficult-”

    “I'm not being difficult. This is new to us, alright? I have crazy anxiety right now, and now you're being a prick-” he cut himself off. Kenny didn't want to fight. He didn't want his sister to see or hear any of this. It was the wrong idea to try and meet outside of their norm. Kenny would call, Kyle would get pissed, then they'd fuck the entire night. That was what they did. They didn't meet outside of nice restaurants to do things that were almost  _ painfully _ domestic. It wasn't Kenny's place to say anything about Kyle. By the end of the day, they didn't  _ really _ know each other. His false hopes set him up for failure. Kenny did this to himself.

    Kyle sighed, running his fingers through his burning curls. His face was dejected, his shoulders were slumped. “I'm sorry. You're right. This is- new. To both of us. I dunno what I thought- Let's try again some other day. Today isn't working.” With those words, Kyle walked away. He took the sun with him, and now Kenny felt like he was sitting in the dark waiting for it's return.

    Karen wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Kenny knew she was stressed out by the whole ordeal. This wasn't how he thought things would go, but he should have known it would end in disaster. He held her close to him, the shaking in his hands spreading to all his bones. Karen didn't say anything, and he felt she didn't have to. No one expected this to happen, but she probably felt guilty regardless. He placed a kiss on the top of her head. 

_ What were we thinking? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry (;-;) there's no excuse for posting this over a year late. I'm just a crappy writer. Soooooz
> 
> (but no, frfr. I'm thinking about making a tumblr. Please tell me if you're down for that.)
> 
> Leave a comment! And thanks for reading~
> 
> Love Fornever,  
> Frostbuny

**Author's Note:**

> It's my birthday tomorrow~! Gift me with some lovely comments? :D Thanks, babes.
> 
> Love Fornever,  
> Frostbuny


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